Are Heroes Born?
by HotShot87
Summary: Transformers story about HotShot and a second war between autobots and decepticons. HotShot now a old war torn veteran of the fall of cybertron, has been living with some demons from his time as a soldier. Hes cut ties with the autobots so to say and doesnt like being called a leader or hero. However when a new darkness rises; he is called to save his home once again.
1. chapter 1

'The say heroes are born, and leaders are made. That may be true, but I tend to believe that a leader is born and a hero within is made. I've had my share at this ideal. I've lead a team right into the jaws of death and back again. Won battles by the scruff of my neck and lost most of my friends doing so. War is a brutal bitch that you can't tame. Even though you may think you had the upper hand, life comes up and bites you in the ass. When the war finally ended with the death of megatron by my hand, many called me a war hero and a true leader. Many of these people didn't even know, the horrible things that I had done. Especially when the war was first starting. One of them being my betrayal.'

~flashback~

PLANET:CYBERTRON

LOCATION: SEA OF RUST

bombs and artillery blasting everywhere* "We have to take out those proton cannons, so air raid can start his attack on the fortress!" Yelled Optimus. "Wreckers assemble on me!!" I yelled into my com. "We gotta clear a path so our flyboys can level the decepticons pretty fortress." I said drawing out a plan. "You know what to do. Move out!!" I yelled, as myself and my team charged a horde of cons. I saw there leader and jumped into the air, when I came down I drew my sword and sliced downward cutting him in half. I then drew my dual energy cannons and blasted the remaining cons around him. There was one who I didn't see that blind sided me and we proceeded in hand and hand combat. "Your a slippery one" I said provoking the con. "So it seems." The con said, and threw a sucker punch which I blocked. I reacted by throwing a punch for his face plate knocking him down. I walked closer kicked him in the chest, and kneeled down stabbing his chest with a knife and twisted it; exploding his spark chamber and killing him instantly. "How's it looking on those cannons cliff?" I asked through my com. "We're disabling the last cannon now." Cliff Jumper replied. I stand from where I'm at and look around. On a cliff in the distance I saw megatron looking at me and he nodded. I turned and focused my attention to Optimus who was mere feet away from me. "I'm sorry Optimus, but I have to do this." I said lunging forward and stabbed my sword through his chest.

~end of flashback~

'This is why I can't see my myself as a leader. No matter what I did. After that event I tried to revive the trust of my friends and to be an autobot again. It never healed the scar I left.' "That's enough for now." I told myself turning my data pad off, and turning my desk light off also. I get up and walk around my personal bay for a little and walk over next to the window looking out across the city. "Cybertron, it's good to be living here again" I tell myself. Suddenly there came a knock on my door. "It's open." I said loud enough. The door opens to reveal a mech with the markings of an elite guard. "What do you want?" I asked bluntly. "I'm just looking for an old wrecker by the name of HotShot." The guard stated. "Okay, and what do you want with him?" I asked doing scans to make sure he's alone and not cloaked. Ironically nothing showed any red flags besides the fact he's looking for me, but knew where I was. The guard held a com, and played a recording. ~HotShot, this is Ultra Magnus. If you Hear this message it should be from a elite guard. I believe you remember the challenge phrase for the elite guards. Use it if you feel something isn't right. However this message is an informal call back to HQ. We need to discuss a grave issue. Ultra Magnus out.~ the guard put away the com. "My orders were to escort you to HQ." The guard stated. I responded with, "First off. How do you know I'm HotShot? I could be just an old peasant." The guard hesitated realizing that he had exposed himself. "Well I guess the cats out the bag now." The guard uncloaked himself and threw a ballistic knife to my chest. Which exploded before I could remove it. I fall to my knees and the con walks in slow circles around me. I watch and follow his every motion. "You've grown old and slow. What happened to the HotShot I read about that could avoid a measly knife, and slay 17 decepticon warrior types in mere seconds? The HotShot that made his enemies fear him with every motion? Huh, what happened to him?! All I see now is a rusty scrap heap that's just a shadow of his former self...You resemble nothing of him!" The con yelled. "Ha, if you think you're so good; then why don't you just end it?" I asked. "Because I like a tough challenge, but this is child's play. Stand and fight like a warrior you coward!!" The con yelled, kicking over a table. "All you had to do was ask." I replied swiftly punching his side and grabbing his neck slamming him against the wall and punching his face plate. The con kicks my foot out from under me, and pushes me to the floor; giving me a what for to the face. "Now that's more like it you con piece of shit." I said stabbing his side repeatedly and rolling him over and punching his face plate in. "Is that the best you can do old man? Cause I can do this all day." He said grabbing my knife quickly and slashing my chest with it. "You're reflexes fail you." The con stated pushing me off. I quickly get up taking a defensive stance. "You're a tough fighter." I stated. The con smirks and throws my knife, but I catch it and chuck it back at him; slicing into his optic and explodes. Blowing a portion of his head off. "Damn, seems your reflexes failed you." I said turning to the door. "Yes they did old man." Stated a con standing in the door as he shoots a high energy blast to my chest; knocking me on my back. "You say my colleagues reflexes were slow, but yours are failing you." The other con stated, and walks over to me. He kneels down as I cough up energon. "You sure about that?" I asked. "Sadly ye..." The con was cut off my me blowing his head off with my arm cannon. I retract my arm cannon and try getting up making my way to the door, but ended up falling down. Suddenly another transformer rushes in. I draw my cannons and rocket launchers to protect myself. "STATE YOUR NAME AND BUSINESS BEFORE I BLOW YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF!!" I yell, spooling my dual energy chain guns. "Easy there old friend. It's Ironhide. I've come to take you back to HQ." He stated. I retract my weapons. "I thought a guard was sent by Ultra Magnus?" I asked. Questioning the old autobot. "You really think Magnus would send an elite guard? There haven't been any elite guards sense before the Great War. Anyway enough chatter. We need to go." Ironhide stated, grabbing me by the arm and helping me outside.

Okay well that's where I'm gonna end the prologue. Tell me what you guys think and I'll post chapter 1 and continue on with the story. Any constructive criticism and opinions is greatly appreciated. I don't mind if you dislike my ideas. I'm kinda mew to this, and I came up with this idea while I was doing training for the army. I'm active army so I may be a little slow on updates, but I promise I'll get some going as quickly as possible. Thanks again and i hope you enjoyed. _**This story can also be found on my Wattpad account lightning1987.**_


	2. Chapter 1: Reigning Darkness

Chapter 1: Reigning Darkness

~Outside HotShots apartment~

"We need to get him back to HQ!" Yelled Ironhide. Cliffjumper replied with "I'm calculating the best route to take back, but they're all infested with decepticons." "Well if we don't find one quick HotShot won't live to see tomorrow." Said the old wrecker. They both looked around them. "I don't see anyone straight ahead, but that's probably what they want us to think" said clifjumper. "Good observation cliff." Ironhide replied, and carefully set the injured mechs body against a barrier and then transformed into a troop carrier. "Put him in the back and get in with him" Ironhide said starting his engine and extended his cannons. Cliffjumper nodded and picked up HotShot and placed him carefully in the back and hopped in with him, and banged on the side with his fist. With that Ironhide started driving straight away from the apartment..."My liege, I've found the body of HotShot and two other autobots." Said a decepticon scout. 'Destroy them.' Replied the voice. "It will be done my liege." Said the scout. With that the scout and a bunch of other decepticons started following closely behind the three autobots. "Ironhide!! We got company!" Yelled cliff. Extending his cannons and shooting at the cons. Ironhide saw in his mirror what was taking place and changed his direction of travel swiftly driving in reverse and shot his dual miniguns on his hood at the incoming cons and destroyed the warrior types leaving nothing but the scouts and performed another 180 to get back straight and focus on driving. "Thanks Ironhide!" Said cliff launching a rocket at a scout and then aimed precisely at the other two and shot them in the head. "Don't mention it kid." Replied Ironhide. Cliffjumper retracted his cannons and went back to aiding HotShot. "Don't worry old friend. You'll make it through" Said cliff, placing a hand on his friends shoulder. "Ironhide, how much longer?" Asked cliffjumper. "ETA 10 minutes." Replied the old wrecker. Cliff spoke to himself 'I hope he has 10 minutes.' Cliff looked to Ironhides six o'clock. "Ironhide how fast can this truck go?!" Asked cliffjumper standing with his cannons drawn. "I can probably squeeze another 20 miles per hour, why you ask?" Asked Ironhide. "Because we got a whole lot of incoming!" Replied cliffjumper shooting at the lead con to see if they'll pull off. Ironhide tried his best to go faster, but the old beater truck wouldn't let him go faster. "Cliff we may not be able to go faster than 80." Said the disgruntled veteran. HotShots optic opened slightly and he saw what was happening, and shot up and drew his dual energy chain guns and unleashed a barrage of hellfire at the incoming cons and destroyed all of them. And then fell to his knee holding his chest. Cliff carefully leaned him against the back of the cab. "Easy hotshot. Just lay back." He said. HotShot looked at his friend and smirked. "I'm alright cliff. For now anyway; the con who shot me was a poor shot. He didn't necessarily cause a fatal wound to me. Took the fight out of me, but it won't kill me. I've been through worse." HotShot Replied. "Well still take it easy you old hag" HotShot smiled, and closed his optics. After a couple minutes or so the group arrived at autobot HQ. The building is one of the last remaining Great War fortresses. The others were either destroyed, or not worth the time to restore. This one however should've been one left to rot like the others, but the autobots and the government saw fit that it should be turned into an academy during peace time and when dark times arose, it could be transitioned to a fully functioning battle station once again. Ironhide drove up to the main gate. "State your affiliation, name, and rank." Yelled a guard. "Autobot, Ironhide, seargent." Ironhide stated. Cliffjumper stood up. "Autobot cliffjumper. Corporal." He said. Lastly I stood up. "Autobot HotShot, First Lieutenant." I stated. The guard opened the gate and let us in. "Lieutenant HotShot. Ultra Magnus wishes to see you." Stated a guard pointing me in the direction. "Very well." I replied. With that myself, Ironhide, and cliff; made our way to the briefing room. "HotShot, it's good to see you again old friend." Ultra Magnus said extending his hand. "You as well sir" I replied shaking his hand. "So what's the reason of me being here?" I asked. "I'm just gonna cut to the chase. War is coming." He stated. Ultra Magnus looked at me, and said "I need you back. You're the only one who has the best track record in combat. I need you to take a leadership role, and you'll be reinstated at your former rank of first lieutenant. Only this time you'll be leading a team." I paced the room, and then stopped. "I can't lead a team sir. I'm not a leader. I'm a warrior. I take orders. Not give them, and also you should know what I did on cybertron cycles ago during the Great War. I betrayed you all. I've had to live with that these past few years and it's only made me question myself." I said, looking Ultra Magnus in the optics. "HotShot, I know what you did, but what happened on cybertron cycles ago is old news. This is now. Besides ironhide, cliff, and wheeljack, and myself there are no other battle hardened warriors. I need you to fight again." He said, sliding a personnel data pad to me. "I read your file over and over again. It has even the information from your times with the decepticons. During the war when you made yourself known, and gained rank. You demonstrated excellent leadership skills and were often times selected by squads to be there leader. You may not see it, but everyone of these rookies here looks to you as a icon of what they want to be. There's a training simulation set up three floors down complete with all the battles you participated in. Only a few managed to outperform there peers. When asked how they did so well they responded with; they had learned fighting techniques from you. Primarily the images and clips from your battles. So you may not call yourself a leader because of how you feel, but I have an entire army here that will argue otherwise. So go ahead. Walk out these doors and tell everyone here that the great HotShot himself is running from a war." He said, slamming his fist on the table making a good size dent. I looked at the screen on the data pad and it had a image I haven't seen or remember. The image depicted a younger version of me standing tall and holding his ground against the combiner Bruticus. "Now that's a image I haven't seen before." I said. "Well it wasn't my choice of photo. The mech who put your file together found that in a lost archive of you. Told me he knew it's not the normal photo use on a file, but that you are a special case and that a wreckers file isn't meant to be normal." Ultra Magnus replied. I looked at the photo one more time and I almost thought it came to life. I saw myself in the picture. A younger stronger warrior with a twinkle to his optic that longed for a good challenge. "If I agree. I'll be reinstated, at my rank of First Lieutenant?" I asked, looking at Ultra Magnus. He walked over to me and stuck out his metallic hand. "A deal is a deal. You'll have your rank back, and your security clearance will also be given back to you also." He stated. I shook his hand. "Welcome back to the autobots lieutenant." He stated, with a slight smile. "It's good to be back sir." I replied. He broke the shake and then crossed his arms looking out the big window in his office. "Have you decided on who's going be on your team?" He asked. I turned and faced ironhide, and cliff. "There ain't, but three wreckers I'd trust to have beside me." I said. "Who's the third?" Ultra Magnus asked. "Wheeljack, sir." I replied. Ultra Magnus nodded. "He's down at the firing range. Cliff and ironhide will show you the way." He stated. With that I turned and followed my two old friends. "Well well Well. The teams back together." Cliff Jumper Stated. "For now. As soon as this damn war is over I'm going back to live in solitude away from this damn planet." I stated walking a little bit ahead. "HotShot, c' mon. You were one of the first ones to hop on the ship back here to cybertron." Cliffjumper Stated catching up. "Yeah, that's because the war was over and I could finally hang up my cannons. Go back to living a regular life without worrying about being shot at." I replied. "You can take the wrecker out the war, but you can't take the war out the wrecker." Ironhide Stated. "You may have wanted to get out the war, but deep I know you would've found a way to get back in to it. I've seen your face when your fighting and when you're not. You almost enjoy the feeling of getting shot at. You have a different attitude towards it. There were times where I could see fear in you, but you overcame that fear by pushing yourself to new limits and unlocking your potential. When you weren't in battle you would almost get to point of wandering into a mine field to simulate a battle." The old wrecker stated. "I've actually seen him do that before. He called it ultimate hopscotch or something like that." Cliffjumper Stated laughing at a memory of it. I chuckle a little "I remember that. I tried getting cliff here involved, but he got a little close to one and I had to save him." Laughs at the statement, and has a memory of the event. "that was the time we nearly blew ourselves to bits." I said. "I remember that." Ironhide said. "I had to call in springer to get y'all out the mine field." He said remembering the event also. The three shared a quick moment of laughter before the entire base rattled and shook with the sound of a large explosion. "Form up on me." I Stated drawing my cannons, and running to the nearest exit to see what was happening. Once outside we saw where the explosion originated. "Whoah, may have used a little too much explosives on that one." A white red and green autobot said standing up from the blast. "Jackie?" I said questioningly. The autobot turned and looked to see who used his nickname he hadn't heard in ages. "Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long long time." He said giving a fist bump. "Where have you been these past 17 years?" He asked. "I've kinda been slowly collecting rust where I was living. Before it got shot to hell." I replied. "Sounds like you caught a little bit of the war that's starting." Wheeljack Stated. "So Ultra Magnus wasn't really bluffing when he said war is coming. Okay, but the decepticons aren't even a faction really anymore." I replied. "That's what you think old friend. There's a new guy in town who wants to revive the decepticons and start a second war on cybertron. And so far he's done just that, but we've got his attempts contained. So we think, but if he's attacked you're residence then he must have followers within the cities now. "I can testify to that. All three of us really." Cliffjumper Stated. Wheeljack nodded. "Ultra Magnus give you a rundown yet?" He asked. "No he just stated that a war is coming, and that he needed me of all mechs." I replied. "Well he knows what he's doing hotshot. He knows your the best at kicking ass." Wheeljack Stated. All of a sudden alarms start going off, and explosions can be heard getting closer. "Okay those aren't me." Wheeljack said defensively. The four of transform and drive around to the front of HQ. "Cliffjumper I need you take a vantage point. I hope you remember how to use your sniper rifle." I Stated. "Of course I do." Cliffjumper stated separating from the rest of us finding a hug point. "The rest of us let's see if we can hold off the attack." I Stated. "Copy that." Wheeljack, and ironhide said in unison. Once we reached the main gate of the fortress we transformed and slid to a halt and asked for sit-rep of the situation. With the information we gathered I drew out a plan simple that we had used during the war with the decepticons. "Y'all know what to do. Now let's kick some ass." I stated. With that we ran to the gate and climbed over it. We didn't see anything in sight. "Keep frosty. They're probably using a cloaking device so we can't see them." I Stated, covering my field of fire. After we scout the outside perimeter of the base we regroup. "I didn't see shit." I stated. "Me neither." Said Wheeljack. Ironhide saw something in the distance. "Don't make any sudden moves." He said. He motioned Wheeljack to look behind me at what he was looking at. "I got a visual." He stated. "HotShot, I'm going to give you some estimated coordinates." He stated. He read out the numbers and I entered them into my targeting system. The image showed up and revealed a lone sniper. "Got a visual." I replied. I slowly drew a single rocket out of a shoulder mounted rocket launcher and then fine aimed it where the sniper was located. "Boom bitch." I said launching the rocket. "GET DOWN!" I yelled. All three of us took cover behind some barriers as the rocket blew up the sniper and multitude of warrior types started shooting at us. "Echo miner two five. Requesting ordinance drop on location whiskey tango!" I yelled into my com. When I gave the exact location points 5 mortar rounds exploded where I directed. I drew my energy cannons and started shooting at targets that were in the open so I could make an advance. "Cover me!" I yelled and vaulted over the barrier and made my way to who I presumed was there leader and executed him stabbing his optic with my knife and twisted it, then shot his shot his chest open with right arm cannon. We he dropped I laid waste to the poor bastards in my line of sight. One con charged and tried to punch me, but dodged his punch and managed to kick his leg from under him making him tumble and when he fell I grabbed his foot and slug him into a metal rod that protruded from the ground that stabbed into his side and I then proceeded to curb stomp his face. When I did that the shooting stopped. Any cons that were still living looked at me. "So I take it jack ass here was y'alls commander?" I asked mockingly. A voice behind me spoke up. "No, that was my second in command. I'm the head hancho." I turned and saw a mech that actually stood a little taller than me. I looked up at him. "You don't look so tough to me." I said. He looked me in the optics. "I thought you would be taller." He said. "Judging by all the war stories I've heard about you, you sounded like you would rival a combiners size." He mocked. "Well if I learned anything it's that the bigger things are. The harder they fall." I said taking up my signature fighting stance. The con stood in the same manner. "You won't live to see tomorrow autobot." He said swiftly kicking me in the chest and knocking me back a couple feet. I looked up at him from the kneeling position I was in. "I've fought combiners, and titans that were stronger than you. You're just a bitch compared to them." I said calmly and lunged swiftly throwing punch for his face plate which he dodged and managed to grab me slinging me to the ground. The con smiled. "Then your victory should be easy for you." He said. Flinging me back to where ironhide and Wheeljack were. "Damn..He's tougher than I thought." I said getting up. "He just bout knocked the wind out you with that." Ironhide stated. "Yeah, no shit!" I exclaimed. Cliffjumper lined up a good shot and fired a shot for the cons leg joint which caused his leg to buckle. "Thanks cliff." I said to myself. I drew both my arm cannons and began firing at his injured leg, and Wheeljack and ironhide followed suit. We eventually shot his leg up bad enough to where he was knocked down, and then I lunges quickly for him with sword drawn and jumped into the air. What I wasn't planning on was another sniper shot from a con that Cliffjumper didn't see. The round shot straight through my side and exploded out the other side. When I came down I tried enforcing as much damage as I could to the new megatron. "You weakling." he said as he picked me up by my head threw me into the perimeter wall of fortress. Megatron and his forces then retreated. Wheeljack and ironhide rushed over to me. "He's barely living." Wheeljack said. The gate opened up and a medical officer rushed over and took picked me up running back to the med bay. Wheeljack and ironhide turned around to watch the new megatron and his minions retreat. Megatron turns around also. "I really want to kick his ass." Ironhide Stated. "So do I old friend, but you saw how he threw HotShot around." Jackie replied. "He's been tossed like a redheads step child before. I don't see why he couldn't finish him quicker." He stated. "Are you listening to yourself!? We're not the young wreckers we used to be back in the day. We're older now. Unfortunately time it's toll greater on hotshot. He's gonna need all the help he can get now." Wheeljack replies. "Well you can teach an old dog new tricks." Ironhide Stated as they walked back inside the safety of the fortress.

Well guys I think, I'm gonna end chapter one right here. Hopefully y'all like what I write. I'll try to have chapter two up in couple days, but like I said training with army may postpone my update a little. Anyways thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter. Also my story is on so go check it out on there also. This chapter I've just got done writing not long ago, and I did a quick run through to check spelling and punctuation, but like I said it was quick; so there may be some flaws, but it flows quite nicely I think. I'll get chapter 2 up soon.


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